History of the Seventh Day Adventist Church
Sioux Rapids, Buena Vista County, Iowa

The
Seventh Day Adventists of Sioux Rapids organized themselves into a church
society on the 20th day of August, in the year 1902; and at that time twenty
persons signed for membership in the organization. L. S. Scott was elected
the first elder, C. W. Hollingsworth, deacon; Mrs. C. H. Tyrrell, clerk; Mr.
C. H. Tyrrell, secretary and treasurer; and Mrs. C. W. Hollingsworth,
missionary secretary.

Their
first building was a portable tabernacle, a steel frame building with
corrugated iron roof, which was erected immediately following the
organization of the society. This continued to be their meeting place until
the summer of 1907, when it was taken down and replaced by their present
wooden frame building, twenty-two by thirty-eight, including the pulpit
addition.

There
have been sixty-one members taken into the church, of whom thirty-nine are
still active resident members. L. S. Scott is the present elder for the
society, and I. T. Hollingsworth and Henry Hanson compose the deacons; the
clerk is Mrs. C. H. Tyrrell; secretary and treasurer, Henry Hanson;
missionary secretary, Mrs. C. Davis.

The
Sabbath school is composed of forty-eight members; Mrs. C. H. Tyrrell is
superintendent, and Mrs. C. W. Boynton, secretary.

The
Young People's Society of the Seventh Day Adventist church consists of
between fifteen and twenty members with A. R. Smouse, president, and Elmer
Hanson, secretary.

In
connection with the church, the society also conducts a general school,
along the lines of the public school, with the elimination of those features
which do not conform to their religious ideals. The school holds its
sessions in a rented building situated at the edge of town. This school was
instituted about six years ago, but they have not held sessions every
consecutive year since that time; the second term was held about four years
ago, the third one being the present term. The first teacher was Miss Edna
Schee, the second Mable Naggle, and the third and present teacher is A. R.
Smouse, with his wife as assistant at times. There is an enrollment of
about sixteen pupils; the school holds sessions the same as other schools,
except that the length of the term this year (1908-09) is seven months.

C. W.
Boynton, who lives in Sioux Rapids, is one of the four state directors of
the church in Iowa. He has in his district fifteen churches under his
supervision.